As the great Don Henley once said, in a New York minute, everything can change.
Two weeks ago, the New York Knicks were down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks and staring what would’ve been a catastrophic first-round playoff upset dead in the eye. The mob wanted Mike Brown fired and Mikal Bridges benched, if not outright cut. Jalen Brunson was getting outplayed by CJ McCollum. Karl-Anthony Towns was a fourth-quarter ghost. New York was stressed.
Fast forward to Friday night and the Knicks have now won six straight games — three straight to close out the Hawks before taking a 3-0 lead on the Philadelphia 76ers with a 108-94 road victory in Game 3. They are now looking like a lock for the Eastern Conference finals where, no matter who they end up playing, they will be the clear favorite to advance to the Finals (the Detroit Pistons cannot match New York’s offensive firepower, and the Cleveland Cavaliers can’t come close to this level of physicality).
This win on Friday night was not your ordinary victory. The Knicks were without OG Anunoby and the Sixers, back home and playing for their postseason life, came out firing. Joel Embiid returned. Paul George had 15 first-quarter points. With the crowd ignited, it had all the early makings of a desperate Sixers victory to at least make this a competitive series.
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But the Knicks had other ideas. This was a professional victory. They just stayed the course. They kept tightening the defensive screws and dug into their bench for major production from Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson (who is suddenly kind of a nasty defender). They got a huge game from Bridges, and let Brunson, who is well on his way to becoming the best Knicks player ever and continues to prove himself as one of the league’s true postseason killers, take them home with 18 of his 33 points in the second half.
At their best, the Knicks have long had the look of a contender. But they’ve never been able to be consistently at their best, and in the past few postseasons, some of their worst traits have shown up at the worst times. It’s different with this team, at least so far. There’s something seriously special brewing with the offense and, more importantly, the defense clicking in unison.
There’s a rock-solid identity here. Everyone is locked into their role. Towns has 46 assists over this six-game run, and his playmaking has unlocked a whole new dimension for a New York offense that now doesn’t have to be so Brunson-centric. Josh Hart is the juice. Anunoby is a top-shelf two-way playoff player, and can now take the time he needs to fully rest his strained hamstring with this series unofficially wrapped up.
Meanwhile, Bridges has turned his postseason, and perhaps even the perception of his entire Knicks tenure, completely around. After posting a bagel in Game 3 against the Hawks, he’s averaging 20.5 points on 68% shooting over the past four games. He had 24 in the closeout game vs. Atlanta. He had 23 on Friday. He’s made seven of his last 13 3-pointers.
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Bridges, like everyone in a Knicks uniform right now, is also defending his ass off. George didn’t score a single point after his 15-point first quarter. Tyrese Maxey was only able to attempt 12 shots as New York was hard doubling and fighting over screens (serious shout out to Bridges and Shamet) to stay attached as the bigs moved their feet to keep him from turning the corner. It was a carryover from Game 2, when the Knicks held Maxey to seven second-half points with more turnovers than field goals.
You start going down the list of championship traits, and suddenly the Knicks are checking every box:
Offense: The Knicks have been an elite offense all year, finishing the regular season with the No. 4 rating and they’re No. 2 so far in the playoffs at 122.3 points per 100 possessions. They are leading the playoffs in paint points and rank second in 3-point shooting percentage. They have every element that you need to dominate offensively in the playoffs: the star creator in Brunson, the multi-faceted big in Towns, shooters everywhere (best true-shooting percentage in the playoffs so far), offensive rebounding (which we’ll get to), transition speed (second in fast-break points so far in the playoffs), the works.
Defense: Quietly, the Knicks boasted the league’s second-best defensive rating from Jan. 21 forward. They have been stifling in the playoffs, where they have held their opponent under 100 points in five of their nine games so far. They’re pressuring the ball, playing physical as hell, rotating on a string and protecting the paint as they’ve surrendered just 41.3 points per game so far in the postseason. That would’ve qualified as the league’s second-best mark in the regular season.
Rebounding: The Knicks clean up on the glass. They gave up the fewest second-chance points in the regular season at 13.1 per game, and they have dropped that number to 11.6 in the playoffs (also No. 1). Meanwhile, they are scoring 17.7 second-chance points per game on their end, second only to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs, and their 54.4 overall rebounding percentage is the best mark in the playoffs so far.
Crunch-time killers: The Knicks outscored their opponents by 238 points in the fourth quarter during the regular season. The next-closest team was Cleveland at plus-162. With Brunson captaining the offense, and the defense locked in, you do not want to be in a close game against the Knicks down the stretch.
Postseason dominance: The Knicks have lost two games so far in the playoffs, each by a single point. They have outscored opponents by an average of 18.2 points per game and their plus-18.8 net rating is No. 1 so far in the postseason.
Keep in mind, these are just the general measurables. When you talk about a team having something “special” brewing, it’s just as much about the less quantifiable stuff. The vibes are off the charts. The energy, the buy-in, the physicality, the flat-out toughness. This team is playing like it knows how good it is, not like the one that, over the last few years, has been trying to find out.
We have to be careful not to get too carried away, as they haven’t been faced with an elite opponent yet, and frankly, they won’t be the rest of the way through the East (Detroit is good but not great; Cleveland is nothing special).
The road to the Finals has never been clearer in the Brunson era, and the Knicks look primed to take advantage.
The league announced Wednesday its inaugural Thanksgiving Eve game will be played this year between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams on Netflix.
A few years ago, the NFL realized Black Friday could be an option for fans to gather around their televisions, and it found another because hometown bars will be packed the night before the big holiday.
Teams line up at the line of scrimmage during a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Oct. 6, 2024.(Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)
The Packers and Rams played each other each season from 2020 to 2024 (the 2020 campaign bout was during the playoffs) but did not face off in 2025.
The Packers have walloped the Rams in recent memory, winning 16 of their last 21 meetings dating back to 1992, including 10 of their last 11.
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Netflix and NFL signage advertises the NFL’s two Christmas Day marquee games streaming live on Netflix in New Orleans Dec. 1, 2024.(Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Oddly enough, before their 2024 bout, each of their prior four meetings was in Green Bay, but this will now mark back-to-back contests in Los Angeles.
The last time the two teams met Oct. 6, 2024, Tucker Kraft had two touchdowns for the Packers, including one that went for 66 yards.
An NFL game ball rests on the turf before a play during a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit Nov. 27, 2025.(Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire)
The Rams tried their best at a fourth-quarter comeback, but Green Bay came away with a 24-19 victory on the road.
The game will be broadcast on Netflix. The streaming service will also broadcast the Rams’ Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, two Christmas games and a Week 18 Saturday game.
Nikita Shulchenko is the MPTC Tour of Luzon champion. –JONAS TERRADO
BAGUIO—Nikita Shulchenko admitted he felt the pressure when Antoine Huby launched a desperate attack that won the final stage of the MPTC Tour of Luzon on Wednesday here.
But the Russian rider of Filipino-owned LCW UAE Cycle had built enough of a cushion to withstand Huby’s late charge and secure the title in this year’s revival of the country’s premier cycling race, which he had controlled almost from the start.
“Yes, it was very dangerous,” Shulchenko said after emerging as the newest champion of the summer cycling spectacle with an aggregate time of 41 hours, 11 minutes and 10 seconds.
“But I had a [big] gap [going into the last stage],” he added.
The 26-year-old held off the French rider from 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines by one minute and 34 seconds to pocket the P1 million prize and, perhaps, earn lasting recognition among Filipino cycling fans who had hoped a local rider would repel the foreign challenge.
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Shulchenko also earned himself a neat early birthday gift ahead of his 27th birthday on May 31—even if he will have little time to celebrate.
Back home in Russia, Shulchenko said the calendar quickly shifts to more multistage races at this time of year, leaving little opportunity to savor a conquest that saw him dominate the Philippines’ great cycling odyssey.
Nikita Shukchenco at the finish line during Stage 14 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon. –CONTRIBUTED PHoTO
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“In Russia, we have to do multi-stage races at this time of the year, so there’s plenty of work to do,” he said after completing the two-week test of speed and endurance that covered 1,825.10 kilometers across 13 provinces.
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Shulchenko stamped his authority on the race with a victory in the Stage 7 individual time trial in Pagudpud, while adding five runner-up finishes along the way.
He first donned the symbolic yellow jersey after Stage 3, wresting it from Syrian teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai—whom he had allowed to win the opening stage in Tagaytay—and never surrendered it again.
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The early threats came from the Filipino contingent, particularly the brash crowd favorite Mervin Corpuz and fellow 7-Eleven standout Ronnilan Quita.
But as the race entered its decisive stretch, Huby emerged as Shulchenko’s biggest danger.
The former UCI World Tour rider captured the punishing Stage 10 and Stage 12 climbs at Bessang Pass in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, and Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem, Pangasinan, slicing the overall deficit to just 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
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Still, Shulchenko responded when it mattered most.
He finished second in the second individual time trial in Lingayen while Huby could do no better than 13th, allowing the Russian to widen his lead to 3:50 heading into the final ascent through Kennon Road toward Baguio City.
That advantage proved too large to erase, even as Huby ended the Tour with three stage victories—the most by any rider.
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The Frenchman made one final gamble after passing the iconic Lion’s Head marker with 15 km remaining, breaking clear on the climb toward Camp John Hay.
Huby completed the grueling 181.8-km stage from Lingayen to Camp John Hay in 4:26:42, but his bid to steal the yellow jersey ultimately fell short when Shulchenko crossed the line 2:12 later.
“I’m happy to finish second, but the objective was to get the yellow jersey,” Huby said. “But I did my best.”
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As consolation, Huby secured the Eagle of the Mountain title as the Tour’s best climber.
Alrefai wound up third overall, 6:45 behind his teammate, while MPT DriveHub’s Nash Lim finished fourth at 9:13, emerging as the top Filipino rider after a late surge in the standings.
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Quita placed fifth overall, 10:34 off the lead, after arguably delivering the most consistent campaign among the local riders.
Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Levi Bell (98) and defensive end Jordan Ferguson (42) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
In 2024, the Vikings spent the tenth overall pick to acquire rookie passer J.J. McCarthy. He was supposed to be Kevin O’Connell’s big project, his first shot at finding a true franchise quarterback. So far, the results have been disappointing.
A year earlier, O’Connell had already drafted his first quarterback since joining the Vikings in 2022. Day 3 pick Jaren Hall was never expected to take over from Kirk Cousins, but at one point, he was actually asked to do just that.
Aug 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) calls out before the snap against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports
Hall has now announced his retirement on Instagram.
“There’s a lot I could say, but mostly I just feel grateful. Sports have been woven into nearly every part of my life — they’ve challenged me, humbled me, shaped my faith, introduced me to lifelong friendships, and given me experiences I never could have imagined.”
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With Cousins entering the final year of his contract (and getting up there in age), the Vikings took a shot late in the 2023 draft. Though not the greatest odds, there was still a chance he could be a massive hit and suddenly start for the franchise. They are rare, but Brock Purdys still exist. Even the normal outcome of him becoming a backup for years to come was an intriguing thought.
Hall’s first preseason was a little shaky and it was clear that he wouldn’t immediately unseat QB2 Nick Mullens for the backup job. Patience was required. Things changed a few weeks later when Cousins suffered his torn Achilles tendon. Mullens was on IR with a back injury at the time and Hall was suddenly asked to play meaningful NFL snaps.
Nov 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) passes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
A week after the Cousins disaster, Hall was the starter. Unfortunately, he lasted only two drives before suffering a concussion, as he attempted to find the endzone on a scramble. Joshua Dobbs entered the game, kicking off the Dobbs-mania storyline.
The Vikings then rotated through Dobbs and the recovered backup Mullens, but later in the season, ahead of a must-win contest against the Packers, O’Connell once again turned to Hall. Both Mullens and Dobbs had massive turnover problems; perhaps Hall could limit that, the idea went.
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That day, Hall looked like a fifth-round rookie, struggling to see the field and crumbling under the pressure of the situation, but also the pressure Green Bay’s defense provided. Mullens replaced him to start the second half.
After the season, Cousins and Dobbs dipped, while McCarthy and Sam Darnold arrived. With Mullens still in the mix, the sophomore out of BYU dropped to fourth on the depth chart and was eventually released despite McCarthy’s season-ending injury in favor of new signing Brett Rypien.
Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) passes the ball over Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas (72) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports.
Hall then headed to Seattle’s practice squad and provided depth behind Geno Smith and Sam Howell, but never saw the field again. Last year, the Seahawks fired him in the offseason and he hasn’t been with a team since. A few try-outs didn’t lead to anything and neither did a move to the UFL earlier this year.
Hall added in his farewell post, “From growing up in this community, to representing my hometown, to having the opportunity to play in the NFL, it has all been a blessing. What I’ll carry most isn’t the milestones, but the people — teammates, coaches, family, and a community that supported me every step of the way. My heart is full as I close this chapter and finish my football career. I’m thankful to everyone who’s been part of the journey. The game has given me more than I could ever give back.”
In three NFL years, Hall played in three games, completing 13 of 20 passes for 168 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. Hall just turned 28.
Minnesota Vikings fans cheer from the stands on Aug. 27, 2022, during a preseason matchup in Denver against the Broncos. Vikings supporters routinely travel well across the country, helping create a strong road-game presence during both preseason and regular season contests as excitement built around Kevin O’Connell’s first year leading the franchise. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings entered the offseason with a major question mark at center, and four months in, all signs point to longtime lineman Blake Brandel as the primary fix.
The Vikings passed on several outside options, leaving Brandel with a clear path to the job.
Minnesota could’ve signed a veteran in free agency, drafted a rookie center somewhere early in the event, or fired off a trade for a proven starter. They’ve done none of that.
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A Familiar Lineman Moves Into the Middle
Are you worried or excited about Brandel as “the guy” at center?
Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Blake Brandel goes through pregame warmups before facing the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 10, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Brandel continued to fill multiple roles along Minnesota’s offensive front during the 2024 season, providing the Vikings with dependable depth and lineup flexibility as injuries reshaped the protection unit throughout the year. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images.
Momentum Builds for Brandel at Center
Through the process of elimination, Brandel sure looks like the frontrunner to start at center in September.
Then, The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis dropped this intel on Monday, “The Vikings could have selected a center in the early rounds of the draft, but they didn’t. Instead, the team doubled down on its long-held belief in Brandel.”
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“For years, coaches felt he had the physical traits to play center. They thought he could thrive if he ever got the full-time job. Brandel validated some of those opinions in 2025, when the Vikings tossed him into the fire against the Cleveland Browns’ vaunted front. He didn’t sink. He swam.”
There is a world where Brandel simply thrives at center this year, but that leaves a lot to chance for a team that can’t really afford offensive line uncertainty.
Lewis continued, “His 6-foot-7, 315-pound frame offers a sturdy barrier in the middle. Because Brandel has played every position on the offensive line, he has the pre- and post-snap understanding to handle whatever coach Kevin O’Connell throws at him.”
“As long as he doesn’t suffer a summer injury, he should enter training camp with a clear path to the starting job.”
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Brandel in 2025
Despite his initial depth chart position as a backup, Brandel’s 2025 season proved far more significant than anticipated. He participated in all 17 games, starting nine and playing 64% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps. This substantial workload stemmed directly from significant injuries to the Vikings’ offensive line, which forced heavy reliance on Brandel, who delivered solid play.
Brandel’s primary value lies in his versatility. Capable of playing guard, tackle, and center, he proved invaluable in 2025 by filling multiple roles. The Vikings didn’t require a superstar; they simply needed a reliable presence to stabilize the line amidst constant upheaval. That was Brandel in 2025.
His performance at center was particularly noteworthy. Playing 383 snaps there, Brandel showed marked improvement throughout the season, transforming his 2026 starting center prospects from an outside chance into a genuine possibility. Here we are a half a year later.
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Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Blake Brandel stands on the field during the NFL International Series game on Oct. 2, 2022, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Brandel provided depth along Minnesota’s offensive line during the overseas matchup as the Vikings continued expanding their international presence under first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports.
While his 61.4 PFF grade indicates a solid, rather than superstar, performance, the level of consistency is highly valuable. A member of the 2020 draft class (alongside Justin Jefferson), Brandel has quietly become one of the team’s longest-tenured players.
The Vikings Passed on These Men
It didn’t have to be Brandel or bust. Minnesota reasonably could’ve signed one of these free agents in March:
Tyler Linderbaum, the almighty OL prize from free agency, was out of the Vikings’ price range, but the five above were not.
Thereafter, the 2026 NFL Draft has a “Big Four” of centers. Minnesota drafted none of these men:
Jake Slaughter (Los Angeles Chargers)
Connor Lew (Cincinnati Bengals)
Sam Hecht (Carolina Panthers)
Logan Jones (Chicago Bears)
Interestingly, the Panthers doubled at center; perhaps Fortner could eventually be available via trade.
Wildcards at C
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While Brandel projects as the Week 1 center, he could be upended by two possible contenders if one assumes the Vikings don’t make any trades, such as deal for Miami Dolphins center Aaron Brewer.
Cincinnati offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt speaks with reporters during Big 12 Football Media Days on July 8, 2025, at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Gerhardt addressed the media ahead of the 2025 college football season after developing into an experienced piece of Cincinnati’s offensive line rotation and drawing increased NFL attention entering his final campaign. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images.
The first is Michael Jurgens, a late-round pick in 2024, who saw a little action at center in 2025. Most consider a Jurgens a depth center, not a starter. Too, the Vikings drafted Cincinnati’s Gavin Gerhardt in Round 7 three weeks ago, and per the club’s post-draft commentary, it sounded like the coaching staff identified him as “the guy” at center for their rookie solution.
If Brandel falters or gets hurt, there’s a decent chance that Gerhardt is the go-to replacement.
It’s also worth noting that 2026 is scheduled to be Brandel’s final year in Minnesota. He could be eligible for a contract extension as early as now.
He’ll turn 30 in January.
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Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
World record holder Tobi Amusan won Nigeria’s first gold medal at the ongoing African Athletics Championships after a strong display in the women’s 100m hurdles final on Wednesday.
Amusan controlled the race from the heats to the final and finished ahead of the rest of the field to claim the gold medal.
Nigeria also celebrated another success in the event as Adaobi Tabugbo won the bronze medal, her first individual medal for Nigeria at a major championship.
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Ashley Miller of Zimbabwe finished second to take the silver medal.
Team Nigeria had opened its medal campaign on Tuesday in the women’s discus throw event.
Divine Oladipo won silver, while Obiageri Amaechi claimed bronze.
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With Amusan leading the team, Nigeria will now look forward to more medals as the championships continue in Accra.
The top hurdler is also expected to return her focus to the Diamond League season after her successful outing at the continental championships.
And Keegan Bradley talked about Bud Light and cereal.
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Talk, talk, talk, talk. It can be cheap, as the saying goes — but major championship press conferences are more than sessions full of other commonly spoken phrases. Maybe that’s due to what’s at stake. Maybe that’s because of the questions. But the answers are more than thoughts about the need to keep the ball in the fairway and the desire to make putts. There’s occasional gold spoken from the dais.
After 15 press conferences over the past three days at the PGA Championship — should you be curious, the pressers lasted nearly five hours — here, then, are a few things that were spoken:
Cam Young was asked about his iPhone
Young is reserved, but an easy way into a person’s personality is through a question into how long they scroll.
“It depends,” he said. “If I’m on my own on the road, it’s a lot more. It’s probably four hours or something. And if I’m at home with my family, it’s probably more on the order of half that.
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“I try to be conscious of it. So I know when I’m by myself, it’s somewhere in the four, four-and-a-half range, and when I’m not, when I’m at home, it’s usually two or under two.”
What does he look at when he’s on his own?
“I don’t know,” Young said. “I go on YouTube. I like to read articles. I look at golf swing videos for more time than I’d like to admit, yeah.”
Luke Donald was asked whether he brings Ryder Cup talk to the dinner table
To best capture the moment, here is the complete exchange between European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and a reporter, with the reporter’s question in italics.
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Luke, you’re clearly a firmly organized fellow and very good at details and things. I’m just wondering how you cope with all the issues of the Ryder Cup? I mean, you must have had hundreds of questions before Bethpage, before you took the job on and since you agreed to do it. I’m wondering if you and Diane [his wife] have an agreement that over dinner you’ll talk about wine, painting and the family and anything other than the Ryder Cup?
“I think the dynamic between Diane and I is interesting,” Donald said. “I don’t get too involved — especially when it comes closer to the Ryder Cup.
“Right now we’re certainly having some discussions together at dinner whenever the time is right about the team spaces. Certainly I don’t talk to her about the golf course. She doesn’t really talk to me about ladies clothes.
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“I just have complete trust in what she does, and she has complete trust in what I do. There are some overlaps. Like right now we’re talking about team spaces. There’s a distinct difference between part of the hotel to the other. One’s a ballroom, one’s sort of part of the old hotel, and which might be better for our team. Those are things we would discuss together.
“But there’s definitely stuff that I have complete faith in what she does, and she has complete faith in what I do. So we don’t need to go into too much detail then.
You don’t have a feeling, ‘Look, we have to stop talking about this. There are other things going on.’
“I mean, we talk about other stuff as well,” Donald said. “If something is needed [to be] discussed with the Ryder Cup that involves both of us, then we talk about it. If not, we’re just dealing with everyday life.”
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Scottie Scheffler talked about why Masters practice rounds are so calm
Scottie Scheffler was asked whether he treats major weeks the same as normal tournament weeks, and he said that wasn’t possible, as each environment is different — and the one at Augusta National was especially so.
“When you look at the Masters,” he said, “you look at the practice rounds there, and the Masters is like the only place on earth where people actually follow the rules because they’re just afraid to get kicked out all the time. So those practice rounds are actually quite calm in terms of there’s not a lot of yelling, there’s nobody running around, there’s not a ton of noise. Except when you’re swinging, there’s camera clicks on every single shot because people are allowed to have real cameras out there. So you’re at the top of your backswing, for every practice round, it’s just camera clicks.
“You come here and there’s a lot of noise and a lot of energy. That’s why you can’t treat them quite the same because there’s so much energy around the tournament. You come into the press room, there’s more people, more fans, more noise. There’s just a lot more stuff going on.”
Xander Schauffele was asked about trees
To set this up, a topic this week has been the trees at Aronimink Golf Club, or the absence of a few, following a renovation. That led to this back-and-forth between Xander Schauffele and the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson, who are friendly with each other. Ferguson’s comments are in italics.
“I do like trees, Doug” Schauffele said. “Do you like trees?”
I like trees, too, Xander. Let’s do ‘Cat in the Hat’ next. In terms of a golf course …
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“I know where you’re going,” Schauffele said. “Go ahead.”
Go somewhere then. Keep making me work.
“Yeah, when I hear certain designers saying, ‘I’m going to restore this course to 1915,’ I’m like, ‘Well, it probably takes a good 100 years for a nice tree to grow, just to take it out, just to say it was where it was before,” Schauffele said.
“I think people keep talking about distance and how the game is played, but just put a bunch of trees on a course — I think Hilton Head is a good example. Do I like Hilton Head? Not really. But it’s hard. It’s kind of crazy, if you look at the winning score at Hilton Head and the winning score at Doral — one’s called Hilton Head, and one’s called the Blue Monster — you’re like, I think the winning score at Miami is lower. It’s just funny when you kind of look at it in that sense.”
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“That’s all I have to say to your tree question.”
Is it more framing, or is it more trouble?
“It’s just hard,” Schauffele said. “I think when you have — like this rough, for example, if we had trees in the rough and you hit it in it, this week you’ll see guys kind of gouging it towards the green. If there’s a tree there, you’d be chipping out sideways. This is the type of rough where you can’t get a ball to curve at all. You just grab a high-lofted club and hit a knuckleball and have it kind of trundle somewhere.
“There’s certain weeks where the rough is, you can kind of curve it a little bit. But there’s reasons guys are praying to be on the pine straw or dirt when they hit it off line, versus being in thick rough, just because you can get some movement on the golf ball.”
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Collin Morikawa talked about his caddie’s help with his water bottle
Collin Morikawa has been battling a back injury, and he noted who’s been helping him through it, including his caddie, who did a relatively simple task in which Morikawa was appreciative.
“Yeah, it’s everyone,” Morikawa said. “I’ve got great physios at home, I’ve got a great physio on the road. Rick Sessinghaus and I have been working for quite some time and talking about the mental game and finding ways to feel comfortable out there. He’s a big, big proponent and component of me being able to play out here, so I owe a lot to him.
“But I owe a lot of credit to Mark Urbanek, my caddie. At the Masters, we were doing things that just didn’t make sense from simply like him handing me my water bottle. I think it’s ridiculous for him to hand me my water bottle, but if it was going to save me one extra bend that was going to make me uncomfortable, he’s going to do it. So I give him a lot of credit over the last few months of sticking with me through the chaotic things I’m asking for.”
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Jesse Droemer was asked about broken bones and snakes
Jesse Droemer, one of the 20 club pros in the field, went into detail about previous injuries.
“Yeah, I would say the biggest injuries that affected my golf,” he said, “I broke my left wrist pretty bad when I was probably 10. I broke three bones in my ankle in football. That was pretty rough. But yeah, it’s been 13 broken bones. It’s been a battle. But at the end of the day, it just makes me feel grateful to be healthy and to not have to deal with pain anymore.
A reporter then asked Droemer to confirm whether he had also once been bitten by a snake.
“Yeah, I was in my backyard, I was like 12 or so and stepped on a water moccasin,” Droemer said. “My mom didn’t believe me. I told her I just stepped on a snake, and she just kind of shrugged it off. Then I actually fainted, and my toe was about this big [a couple of inches]. So she had to rush me to the hospital. And then I used to go down into the Brazos River with a machete and boots and look for golf balls. So I had to fight off snakes for that.”
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“But, yeah, that was pretty serious. But after that, I don’t really have a fear of it anymore, so …”
Fighting snakes?
“Well, I couldn’t afford Pro V1s back then,” Droemer said, “so I would sell the kind of beat-up ones and I would keep the best ones. So in tournaments I wasn’t going to lose a golf ball that I fought off snakes for.”
Rory McIlroy was asked about Scottie Scheffler
Rory McIlroy, the world’s second-ranked player, was asked about what he admires about Scheffler, the top-ranked player. Answers to this type of question are oftentimes good, as they’re complimentary — and they give a peek into what the player would want for themselves.
“I think it is, it’s his relentlessness,” McIlroy said. “It’s his — the comfort in which he does the same things over and over. It’s the little — it’s not flashy, but he dots his I’s and crosses his T’s and does all the right things.
“Yeah, I just think it’s that relentless pursuit of the process and not just letting the outcome happen. Whatever that means is what it means.
“I’ve said, again, I think his faith has a big part to do with how comfortable he is with doing that because he accepts whatever happens, whatever comes his way, and he moves on.
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“He just doesn’t seem — there’s not a lot of volatility there in his life and in his game, and I think that sets him up so well for the future.”
Jordan Spieth was asked about grilling meat and his swing
To properly capture this moment, here is the complete exchange between Jordan Spieth and a reporter, with the reporter’s question in italics.
I read something where you used an analogy of grilling meat to describe the process of working on getting your swing back to where you want it to be. Where did that analogy come from and how is it going?
“I was just kind of thinking,” Spieth said, “I was smoking chicken in the fall on a big smoker I have and it got up to 155 quickly and then takes awhile. I was like, man, this kind of feels like — I was working on stuff and I was — it kind of feels like what I’m trying to do in the swing. I go play and it’s a little bit out of the barriers that we call sustainable. Kind of outside the margins that we call OK.
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“So, I don’t know, I kind of was just thinking about it one day and came to me.
“But yeah, it seems to be — I don’t know how — if it’s that way for everybody and just seemed that way for me right now where, you know, it’s there, it’s there. It’s like close. It’s matching what I want to do. It feels good and it’s producing right stuff.
“And then, you know, if it just gets — it’s just not quite consistent enough yet to be able to be contending week in and week out.
“But I know what to do and how to get there. It’s just I have to stay the course and just trust that it will happen.”
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Is [smoking] a hobby of yours?
“Not really,” Spieth said, “I’m very average. Probably a 15-handicap at it. In the fall, it’s fun sometimes.”
Bradley was asked how he celebrated his win at the 2011 PGA Championship, and he answered this way:
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“So after the PGA in ’11, my mom and sister were there, and I remember my agent, Ben, was there, and I remember driving out of the Atlanta Athletic Club with the Wanamaker in my lap, holding it like this [in his lap], and we were looking at each other like, this is crazy. Like I was holding it.
“And then I went — we tried to — it was Sunday night. We were trying to get some beers or something. Everything was closed. And we went back, and I had Bud Light and cereal for dinner. We still have a picture of it in my house somewhere.
“And then I took the trophy and put it right next to my bed. I remember waking up in the morning and looking at it, like this is crazy. I can’t believe this.
“And then I got back, and a few of my buddies picked me up. I was single and 25 years old, and all my buddies picked me up from the airport. We went on a few-day celebration tour with the trophy, bringing it everywhere.
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“One of those moments that you get to share with people, and you know, some of the fondest memories of my life.”
Did he remember the cereal?
“I forget what it was,” Bradley said. “… Whatever — I was starving. It was midnight. After you’re done with media, and I just remember like thinking, how surreal this was. It was Bud Light and cereal. It was the best meal of my life. Like one minute I’m a rookie and now I’m a major champion and I’m looking on my Twitter and every couple minutes, I’ve gotten 1,000 new followers. It was crazy, the night and the next following couple weeks.”
South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has become the latest global star to be left stunned by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting, with the Gujarat Titans quick admitting that the Rajasthan Royals teenager possesses a rare combination of power, confidence and natural flair. Rabada, who has been one of the standout fast bowlers of IPL 2026 with 21 wickets, briefly found himself under attack from the 15-year-old sensation during Gujarat Titans’ clash against Rajasthan Royals earlier this season. Sooryavanshi smashed Rabada for back-to-back sixes in a fearless display that once again reinforced his growing reputation as one of the most destructive young batters in world cricket.
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The teenager has already grabbed headlines this season for taking on elite bowlers without hesitation, including Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Against Gujarat, Siraj too was launched for a first-ball six as Sooryavanshi continued his astonishing rise. Speaking to PTI, Rabada admitted he has been fascinated by the youngster’s mentality and fearless approach at such a young age. “He’s a great talent. He’s got really fast hands. He’s fearless at the moment. There’s not an ounce of fear in his body. That’s how it normally is when you’re young, it’s really fascinating. I think it’s great to see in the game of cricket, in the IPL. It’s great to see the game is well and truly alive. Who else is going to come in and make headlines of that nature? Let’s wait and see,” said the South African quick. Despite the hype surrounding Sooryavanshi, Rabada said his mindset as a bowler remains unchanged while charging in to bowl. “What I’m thinking is just another batter. And try to get the better of him. It’s almost like a little bit of flair. He’s definitely an X-factor player. Someone that is drawing eyes to the game. Fantastic. Really fast hands. No fear. That’s one hell of a combination,” he added. Rabada himself has been operating at peak rhythm this season, consistently touching 150 kmph while forming one of the IPL’s most dangerous new-ball pairings alongside Mohammed Siraj. The duo has troubled batting line-ups throughout the powerplay phase, with Rabada generating steep bounce and seam movement through relentless Test-match lengths. The 30-year-old has now crossed the 20-wicket mark in an IPL season for the fourth time in his career, though he insisted he does not focus too heavily on personal milestones. “I just feel like coming into a season, whatever the team that you are playing for, this time it is Gujarat, I just feel like I am just going to be here to try my best and that is what I am going to leave it at. And whatever the outcome is, it is what the outcome is going to be,” he said. Reflecting on his partnership with Siraj, Rabada said their chemistry has developed naturally over the course of the season. “I guess it is forming a partnership and that is pretty much it. He has got a job to do and I have got a job to do. I guess we have bonded a bit off the field too but it is nothing orchestrated really. “We found out we are bowling together and we try to fulfil that role to the best of our ability. There is no real magic recipe,” he explained.
Under Derek McInnes, Hearts have led the way for most of the season and head into Scottish football’s biggest weekend since 1985 with the title in their hands. However, after a dramatic finish on Wednesday, the momentum is with Celtic.
Hearts comfortably defeated Falkirk 3-0 on Wednesday, but Celtic needed a last-minute Kelechi Iheanacho penalty – given after a VAR review – to keep their hopes realistically alive.
The fact that the two contenders face each other on the final day makes it all the more dramatic. It will be a winner-takes-all occasion at Celtic Park.
Scottish Premiership standings and fixtures
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1) Hearts | Played: 37, Points: 80, GD+ 35
2) Celtic | Played: 37, Points: 79, GD+ 30
Remaining fixture
Saturday 16 May – Celtic vs Hearts (12:30pm BST)
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How can Hearts win the league on Saturday?
After a thrilling title race full of twists and turns, it all comes down to Saturday lunchtime.
If Hearts win, they win the title. If Hearts draw, they win the title. But if they lose, it will now be Celtic’s championship.
What do Celtic need on the final day?
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It’s simple for Celtic: they must beat Hearts on Saturday.
Their last-minute winner on Wednesday means they no longer have to win by six goals. A win, no matter the score, will do the job.
What happens if they finish level on points?
The tiebreakers are goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head points.
Manchester City player ratings from their Premier League game with Crystal Palace in a 3-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s side
Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-0 to keep their Premier League title hopes alive. Pep Guardiola made clear he was prioritising the FA Cup as he rested six players, but the Blues still picked up another big win.
Phil Foden was the man who made the important breakthrough for the Blues in a first half that hadn’t offered much, backheeling the ball through for Antoine Semenyo to power home. The England midfielder then helped Josko Gvardiol’s ball onto Omar Marmoush for City to go 2-0 up.
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With Erling Haaland left on the bench, Rayan Cherki came on late on and weaved a way through the Palace team before setting up Savinho to add a third as City moved to within two points of Arsenal.
Here are the player ratings from the Manchester Evening News.
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Donnarumma: Made a number of good saves, even when Palace were offside, in another strong showing. 7
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Nunes: Involved for the first goal and his early substitution speaks to an FA Cup final start. 7
Khusanov: No dramas on his return to the XI, either at centre-back or right-back where he ended up in the second half. 7
Guehi: A comfortable night against his former club, jumping in at the right times when Palace did attack. 7
Gvardiol: Excellent after a long absence, shoring up the defence while offering a varied threat in the attacking third. 8
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Silva: Marshalled the show with a minimum of fuss, even if his shooting is getting worse with every week. 7
Foden: Genius for the first assist and could have had more than his two – his most productive performance in months. 8
Ait-Nouri: Enjoyed some freedom cutting inside as a left-winger before moving back as the game went on. 7
Savinho: A few nice flicks and tricks but there wasn’t enough impact in either half even if he did take his goal well. 6
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Semenyo: Played up front alongside Marmoush and took his goal very well, probably doing enough to stay in for the cup final. 7
Marmoush: Spent large chunks of the game unable to get involved, but came alive for his goal. 6
Substitutes
Ake (for Nunes, 59) Another night where he made things look easy. 6
Doku (for Gvardiol, 59) Couldn’t really work his magic. 6
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Cherki (for Marmoush, 79) Showed his class to tee up Savinho. 7
Kovacic (for Silva, 79) Got straight into pushing City forward. 6
Stones (for Foden, 82) Felt the love of the crowd. 6
Hearts boss Derek McInnes slammed a “disgusting” late penalty awarded to Celtic on Wednesday night – which stretched a dramatic Scottish Premiership title race to the final day.
Hearts, eyeing their first title in 66 years, had one hand on the trophy after their 3-0 win over Falkirk, with Celtic drawing 2-2 away at Motherwell. If it ended that way, Celtic would have needed to win by three goals or more in their final day showdown on Saturday to win the title.
However, Motherwell midfielder Sam Nicholson was penalised in the dying seconds for handball after a challenge in the air from a long throw. Yet replays do not show the ball clearly touching the hand; rather, Nicholson heads the ball away.
Nicholson’s elbow was also near a Celtic player challenging for the ball, but all signs indicate the penalty was given for handball. The late decision and Kelechi Iheanacho’s subsequent conversion of the spot-kick means it is a winner-takes-all clash at Celtic Park on Saturday. A point ahead, Hearts would also seal the title with a draw.
Yet upon seeing the penalty incident on replay, McInnes was in a state of disbelief, telling Sky Sports: “Having seen it again, it’s disgusting, it is. I don’t think it’s a penalty.
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“But we’re up against it, we’re up against everybody. We’ll be ready for Saturday. I don’t think it’s a penalty, there were two more shouts for penalties in our game against Motherwell.
“I’ve seen it, it’s so poor that they’ve been given that penalty and it looks like they’ve been given it. They’ve been very fortunate. We have to realise that we’re up against everything on Saturday.”
Ex-England striker Gary Lineker, writing on X, said: “This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve ever seen (and there’s a lot of competition).
“Extraordinary given the significance.”
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Hearts boss Derek McInnes could not believe Celtic’s late penalty call (PA)
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd was also stunned by the decision. “It clearly hits his head,” he told Sky Sports. “If it hits your hand, it just drops down at your feet.
“The non-red card for Alistair Johnston against Rangers and now that tonight. Another dubious call that goes in Celtic’s favour.
However, Celtic boss Martin O’Neill believed the decision was “clear-cut” after his side’s lucky escape.
“Well, I have seen it back very, very briefly, it’s a handball,” he told BBC Scotland. “It looks as if it’s also an elbow to the side of the head as well.
“VAR have asked the referee to come over and have a look at it, and he’s [had] no hesitation in giving the penalty.”
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The final day clash between the two title rivals takes place on Saturday at 12:30pm BST at Celtic Park.
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